Should I move to a small town?

Many dedicated big city dwellers can’t imagine living anywhere else even for a few days. Suggest to them that they should move to a small town and you will get to hear all sorts of priceless responses. Often, the biggest fear of a person who is used to a big city life is that moving to a small town will limit significantly their entertainment options. Often, their most common answer will be, “But how will I survive a move to a small town? There’s absolutely nothing to do there!”

Moving to a small town from the big city should never be viewed so one-sidedly simply because both lifestyles have clear advantages, and not surprisingly, there are many good reasons to move to a small town. In fact, an informed decision to turn to a simpler life can definitely prove to be the very thing you’ve been missing in your life.

Here’s what to know when moving to a small town – the major pros that can help you see the world around you in a different light.

Sense of community

The moment you move to a small town from the city, one of the first things you will realize is that you will no longer be a mere number in the system or a faceless stranger in the crowd. Instead, you will be known by name and many people will know where you live and what you do for a living. The fact that friendly locals will greet you by name while you’re going to the grocery store may seem weird in the beginning but it’s the sense of community that some people find pretty appealing. If you get in some kind of trouble – for example, your dog gets lost – you will probably be pleasantly surprised by the way the small town community gets together in a genuine attempt to help you out.

Also, if you have trouble socializing, then a move to a smaller town may be just what you need. It cannot be denied that it’s much easier to make friends in close-knit communities like the ones found in small towns. On the other hand, you may be clearly unhappy that your nosy neighbors are invading your big city privacy more than you would like to, and that you find it a bit irritating to be recognized everywhere you go.

Less pollution and less noise

If you’re thinking of moving to a small town, then you’re definitely taking the right step as far as your health goes. The pace and feel of a small town life is radically different – all of a sudden, you will find yourself in a more relaxed environment where even time tends to move slower than usual.

You will notice right away that the crazy traffic is nowhere to be found and has taken the extreme portion of stress with it – no more senseless loud honking or tire screeching sounds. Think about it – would you rather have an angry driver cut your way to work and nearly cause a car accident, or would you prefer to have your road blocked for 5 minutes by a large herd of friendly mooing cows? Plus, you won’t have to worry about wasting precious time in search of valid vacant parking spaces anymore.

Naturally, less car traffic also means less pollution – moving to a small town usually signifies fresher air with no smog or fumes. The claustrophobic feel of large cities is suddenly gone with the wind too – you get large open spaces and a first row seat to a wide open sky with beautiful stars.

Safer environment

If less stress and purer air are not reasons enough to spark your interest in moving to a small town, then think about the usually safer environment that will come as a huge bonus after your relocation. It’s much easier to trust people in smaller communities because most people are on friendly terms with each other and there can hardly be any dangerous strangers lurking in dark corners. In general, smaller towns are considered great for raising a family because kids will learn and grow in a relatively safe environment protected by the comprehensive network of watchful good-natured eyes.

Another great advantage of living in a small town is the chance to spend more quality time with the persons you love. Without the big city attractions and more importantly – distractions, small town families can actually get closer than ever by enjoying various nature-oriented activities together. Having a nice hike among a splendid eco forest or maintain trail, or going fishing in the nearby river or lake are just two examples of what can successfully substitute for going on a shopping spree in a huge city mall or catching a 3D movie about the wildlife in the country.

Easier to save money

As a rule, the cost of living in smaller towns is generally lower primarily because of the lower housing costs and taxes. That fact alone can help you become financially independent, but there’s also another good reason why your small town family budget will feel much better after the relocation – it’s easier to avoid overspending in a smaller town and save money in the process simply because the overpriced big city temptations are so much fewer. After all, you don’t have to pay more to get the same amount of satisfaction and fulfillment – a much limited cultural calendar can force you to start practicing inexpensive yet fun hobbies such as woodcarving, tapestry, biking, hiking, reading, etc.

The bad news here is that small town job opportunities can be severely restricted. However, if you have already secured a decent local job or long distance work over the Internet, or if you’ve already retired, then it can make the perfect financial sense to move to a small town.

Why move to a small town?

Before you can decide whether moving to a small town is the right thing for you or not, your very first task is to figure out what’s really important in your life at the moment. If you

are sick and tired of weaving through crazy traffic and dealing with road rage on a daily basis;

want to be a valued member of a community instead of being just another face in a sea of strangers;

feel exhausted by the constant noise and quickened pace of living in a big city;

wish to breath a fresher air and be able to enjoy a better view at the stars at night;

want to secure a safer environment for your children;

don’t mind leading a simpler life and save more money while doing so,

then it’s perfectly possible for you to enjoy a small town life. The secret to surviving a move to a smaller town is to first have a reasonably priced moving adventure, and then to take advantage of what you have and find good ways to compensate for the things you don’t have.

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